A disquieting letter was received at Puttaparthi.

"It's Sathya," Pedda Venkama Raju said to his wife, "but it's nothing serious. Only a scorpion sting perhaps. ... They could find no scorpion. ... It happened three days ago, at dusk. And listen! Seshappa [Seshama Raju] writes that Sathya was in deep sleep for a whole day after, but he had no pain!" Easwaramma was scared. After a sting of that nature, one is forcibly kept awake for fear that sleep would heighten the effect of the poison.

Luckily, Easwaramma was unaware of how serious the sting of a scorpion could be, especially if occurring in the vicinity of Uravakonda. In the shadow of the serpent-shaped Uravakonda rock, people knew that scorpions and snakes strike to kill, particularly in the area of the petrified cobra. Venkama Raju, however, knew that stings were often fatal; therefore, he prepared to leave at once.

Before he departed, however, another messenger arrived with a second letter. This letter stated that Raju had recovered consciousness and was in a bad shape. He would not eat or drink and seemed ' ... unaware of what was happening around [him] ... He seemed to be somewhere else, [as if] conversing with invisible Beings. Easwaramma could not bear to hear more. She begged her husband to take her along, and she muttered desperate prayers all the way. She asked for but one boon, that Sathya be normal. She no longer wanted him to be unique or even more intelligent than the rest. ... None had the balm that could calm her.'

Sunkulamma Shrine Raju often spent time here; the day after Shivaratri, he returned from here and fell into bouts of unconsciousness

Sitting in his quaint little home, five decades later, Muntimadugu Chinna Babaiah (1924-), a humble weaver from Puttaparthi, would go back into his memory to narrate those miserable days that destiny had suddenly decreed on the Raju family:

Pedda Venkama Raju did not have enough money to immediately embark on the sudden journey or to support the expenses of the sudden crisis. He tried to borrow money from whomever he knew. Nobody could help him. He approached me and said, "Sathyanarayana has been bitten by a scorpion, and he is unconscious. My wife and I have to go to Uravakonda. Somehow, you have to give me one hundred rupees!" At that time, I was collecting one-half anna and one anna from friends and running small savings schemes. This way, I had about two to three hundred rupees on hand. I said, "When people ask, I have to show them their deposits. How can I lend you their money?" Pedda Venkama Raju said, "You manage them. But I must have the money!" I understood his need for money and gave him a hundred rupees from my personal savings made from my income from weaving towels and blankets.

Back at Uravakonda, Seshama Raju had exhausted all the remedies he knew, to cure his younger brother. Jilledu Palu, the milk of a medicinal plant, known to have healing properties, was also administered.6 He sought help from astrologers, priests, palmists, allopaths,7 homeopaths, naturopaths, and even the District Medical Officer but to no avail. Raju was unperturbed.

What happened at Uravakonda? Facts from various sources corroborate each other and chart out the probable sequence of events. Venkamma, Raju's eldest sister, would later write in her personal notes, specific details of what she had seen:

On Shivaratri day, after dinner, we went to see the Pandari Bhajan group in the street. Sathyam came up to me and said that he wanted to go somewhere and that he would return after some time. He asked me not to bolt the front door. I asked him to be back soon. After the prasadam was distributed, we returned to our house and retired to sleep. The three of us, Sathyam, my son and I used to sleep in the front room. I closed the door but did not bolt it. I lay down and kept awake for some time. Later, I fell asleep. In those days, I followed the practice of first setting my eyes on a 'picture of God' immediately when I woke up. We did not have a picture of any God in the house, but we did have a tulsi plant on our front verandah. In the wee hours of the following day, to have a first look at the tulsi plant, I went to the door with my eyes closed. At the doorway, I felt a cold touch on my hand. When I opened my eyes,

I saw Sathyam standing in front of me. He had just arrived. When I asked him where he had been all night, he softly asked me not to speak, lest our brother and sister-in-law come to know of his late arrival. He said that he had gone to 'Budagavi' to perform abhishekam [ritualistic bathing] to Lord Shiva. "I have brought prasadam," he said.

Venkamma then took Sathyam inside, asked him to have a wash after which she served him food.

Chinna Babaiah

a Weaver from Puttaparthi

... Venkamma served food to Sathyam and stood at the door. ... She asked whether [or not he] ... required anything else. He said, "No! Nothing is needed." He went into the bathroom and shouted, "Abbaa!" When she enquired what had happened, [he] ... replied that a scorpion had stung ... [him]. Venkamma searched everywhere with the help of a lantern light: but it was not seen anywhere. Then, she informed her brother that a scorpion had stung Sathyam. They gave medicines [to him] and uttered mantras [over him]. Venkamma was mortally afraid, as she had heard that it was fatal, in Uravakonda, to be stung by a scorpion. When she asked Sathyam whether it was painful and burning, he replied in the negative and asked her to go to sleep.

Next day, a great change was noticed in Sathyam's face. Venkamma was bewildered at the way the lips and hands of Sathyam were shaking. However, [he] ... got all the vegetables and provisions, as per the list given by Seshama Raju from the Uravakonda fair [weekly market]. Seshama Raju asked Venkamma to prepare the curry with brinjals [aubergines] and sweet potatoes as their mother did. He said [that] Sathyam had to be given rice and rasam only. Buttermilk was also prohibited. Venkamma did as advised, but kept apart a small portion of the curry, affectionately for Sathyam, as he had taken the trouble of getting [vegetables] ... from the market. In the evening, Sathyam said that [he] ... would go to [the] "Sunkulamma" Temple and come back. It was [mealtime] ... when he returned, so she asked [him] ... to take food and arranged the wooden plank ... [and plate, but he] ... sat quietly, without eating. Then she took [his] ... hand physically and put it in the plate and again asked [him] ... to eat. After [some time], ... when she returned to find out if anything more was required ... his hand was still kept in the plate, in the same position. ... She caught [his] ... hand, saying, "Come on! Eat, Sathyam!" He fell down with a thud. She cried out to her brother Seshama Raju ... [who rushed out to fetch a doctor] ... The neighbours tried [putting] ... a burnt newspaper near [Raju's] ... nose. Cold water was dashed against the face. Sathyam remained unconscious. All their efforts were in vain. Then they removed the wet shirt, and, covering him up to the neck, ... [moved him to the front verandah, where his hands and feet became stiff, like logs. Seshama Raju returned with a doctor, who could do nothing, not even administer the medicine, as Sathyam's teeth were stuck together.] ... On the next morning, they [sent] ... a telegram to the parents at Puttaparthi, [who] ... could not come immediately. Meanwhile, they performed pujas [ritualistic worship] ... chanted mantras, and broke a coconut to "Sunkulamma."

Venkamma - older sister of Swami

Kasibatla Sriram Murthy, an old neighbour, was closely associated with the family during the 'scorpion bite' incident. Looking back to that day he was to narrate years hence that he had been extremely worried at the condition of the unconscious boy, who had been sweating profusely. They called the local doctor, who assured them that there was no danger to Raju's life and gave him injections at intervals. Murthy was to observe that four injections were given that night, but there was no improvement in Raju's condition. Murthy wanted him to be moved to a hospital, but Raju's brother felt that the parents should be called, before any further action could be taken.

Until late that night, when the injections were administered, Raju oscillated between consciousness and unconsciousness. Some of the neighbours suggested a sacrificial offering to the village deity, Sunkulamma, and they immediately rushed out to offer worship.

After a while, back at the house, Raju came out of his comatose state and murmured that "the coconut has broken into three pieces." People around him could not understand what he meant. Those who had gone to the Sunkulamma shrine returned with the amazing news that the coconut, which they had offered at the temple, had indeed broken into three parts. This only increased the consternation of those around.

In the meantime, Raju whispered to Murthy, "Don't worry. Sai Baba will take care."

Twelve hours after the second fall, Sathya opened his eyes ' ... and started reciting poems of great literary excellence on Kunti, Damayanti and others. [He began to have occasional fits, and at least six or eight people were needed] ... to keep him down on the bed ... He was constantly in delirium, and the poetry recitation continued incessantly.

'Seshama Raju was flabbergasted at the high literary Telugu [diction] that flowed out as ... [great]... poetry, poems that were mostly original and some from well-known books, which Sathya had never read. The Headmaster of the school, Mr. T. Lakshmipathy as well as Inspector Nagoji Rao were some of the people who helped Seshama Raju during that crisis.'

Seshama Raju approached G. S. Abdul Khader, who was then the school student leader. Years later, Khader would affirm that difficult time. 'Seshama Raju told me, "Khader, Sathyanarayana was bitten by a scorpion; he is behaving like someone in fits. We are not able to control him. We need help from your students." I arranged students in shifts of five for every three hours to look after him. When the fits came, the boys would tightly hold his head, legs and limbs. This continued for eight days.'

Raju gradually recovered, but great changes were perceived in his outward appearance and in his personality. Seshama Raju could not fathom this transmutation. He took Raju to many eminent doctors, but to no avail. They all diagnosed the boy's ailment to be a mental one.

Seshama Raju was keen to communicate the news of Raju's strange condition to his parents. Venkamma would recount in her Notes, 'My brother Seshama Raju called a couple of high school students, explained to them the route to Puttaparthi and asked them to go there to fetch Sathya's parents. While he was explaining this, Sathyam told them that there was no need to send anybody, because his parents were coming by a certain bus. Since there were none there who could recognise our parents, my brother, himself went to the bus stand.'

Dr Lakshman Rao

a local government doctor attended on Raju

The parents arrived from Puttaparthi. They were aghast to see Raju in that condition. He greeted them with an unrestrained outpouring of Vedantic philosophy, at the end of which he slumped down on the ground, exhausted. Even when the bystanders were lamenting this tragic state of affairs, Raju sat up suddenly and said, "Call Narayana Sastri. He is misinterpreting the Bhagawatham. He has to be corrected." Somebody went to call the Pundit, who lived opposite Seshama Raju's house. The messenger was amazed to see the Pundit actually discoursing on the Bhagawatham. Narayana Sastri, hearing the strange request, was beside himself with rage. "What does he know about the Hamsa Gita?" he growled. Finally, Raju's father, who had been a silent witness until then, went to Narayana Sastri and requested him to come, at least to knock some sense into his son. Narayana Sastri did not let the opportunity pass by. Enthusiastically, he got ready to teach a lesson to the 'arrogant urchin.' At the sight of the Pundit, Raju began to expound the most complex passages from the Hamsa Gita, in the most simple and lucid language. Narayana Sastri was not only humbled, but also overwhelmed. The scholar in him understood that he was in the presence of somebody extraordinary. He prostrated at the feet of Raju and begged forgiveness. He, a Vedic scholar, true to his knowledge, had recognised the fledgling of a 'Great One.'

All this, however, was beyond the comprehension of the simple-minded people around him. The physicians of Uravakonda brought the District Medical Officer from Anantapur, who happened to be camping locally. After examining the boy, he said there was nothing to indicate a scorpion bite. According to him, Raju had an attack of hysteria. He prescribed the medicines and left. The medicines were administered for three days, with no change in Raju's condition. He continued singing and sermonising, or being silent and falling into a stupor, by turns.

As medication proved ineffective, the relatives resorted to astrological information for a cure. The astrologer recommended that a worshipper of the Mother Deity (a tantric) should examine the boy. One such person was found and summoned. When he appeared, Raju shouted back at him, commanding the tantric to offer him worship and leave the place. "I am everything in everything ... You can't do anything. Go ... go!" The visitor bolted without looking back. On the way out, it is reported that he told Seshama Raju, "No planet or spirit has harmed this boy. He is steeped in Divinity." "This is daiva maya (divine illusion) not bhuta (ghost)."

In spite of this, Seshama Raju looked the other way and summoned an exorcist, who declared that an evil spirit had possessed the boy. Even so, he did not dare touch the boy and quietly made good his escape.

The desperate parents brought Raju to Puttaparthi, for further treatment. Another exorcist (probably a Muslim, as Venkamma would recall) was summoned. He enthusiastically got down to his job by preparing a long list of articles required for the exorcism. Young Raju overhearing his requirements pointed out that the exorcist had overlooked a few details. When the exorcist heard of Raju's observations, he became subdued and left instantly.

The young boy was subjected to a lot of physical hardship during the ensuing months. His head was tonsured several times. At Buchayyagaripalli Kummara Kondappa treated him with herbal potions; it had a limited effect. At Brahmanapalli too, his head was tonsured and citric juices poured on it in order to exorcise what was thought to be an evil spirit. B. Narsi Reddy, who performed the ritual, kept Raju in his custody for a day.

Easwaramma hoped that familial surroundings would set Raju right. She looked forward to Raju playing about with his little brother, Janakiram, then six years old. But that was not to happen. Even his old associates-those who had played and danced about with him now confronted a different Raju. Kondama Raju's sage counselling could never make the family come to terms with this new turn of events that were much beyond their previous experience. While everybody blamed the father for leaving the fortunes of his unusual son to the dominating ways of an elder brother, the mother sought to escape reality by shutting herself up in the clutches of endless worries and despair.

Raju was fully aware of all the despair surrounding him. The sensitivity that came out of that awareness was touching. 'He evinced deep pity at times and ... [displayed sympathetic] tolerance.' His other-worldliness troubled his family. He treated their bewilderment with compassion. Even as the great power in him struggled to find physical manifestation, Raju's overwhelming love made him win the hearts of all those around.

The scorpion incident apparently stung everyone to a state of acute wakefulness. Venkamma stood by Raju doing her best to assuage his pain. Seshama Raju went all out to find a medical cure to the 'ailment' and seek an intellectual probe into the problem. The parents, on the other hand, endured it all in silence while the curious onlookers waited to spin their spicy yarns. The queer insect had given the slip and left behind a power and a cloud of mystery.

Pundit Narayana Sastri

the famed Vedic scholar was struck by the literary and Vedic knowledge of Sathya